Cable Building

Discussion in 'DIY' started by Skyline, Sep 30, 2015.

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  1. msommers

    msommers High on Epipens

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    What would be a good cable type to try as a beginner? I've made extension cords for the garage but don't know the attachment process for audio (the home variety just has screw clamps).
     
  2. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    One that you need? ;)

    Speaker cables are the easiest, since you don't necessarily have to do anything with them. And from there you have the option to use screw, crimp or solder connections, can decide to do individual runs, or group things and use splitters/boots, sleeve them for pretties/convenience or not, the conductors are comparatively massive and they're unambiguous in terms of connections.

    Then, interconnects are easier than headphone/IEM cables, since they're don't need to be split, deal with comparatively large solder-points/cups and larger gauge wires, and the connectors are relatively robust. XLR connectors, in particular, are very easy to deal with. Standard, pre-assembled, wire (conductors, dielectric, spacers, shielding, wrap and jacket) are readily available in many configurations and materials.

    USB cables are pretty simple too ... provided you use pre-built USB wire. Otherwise, getting the right characteristic impedance AND getting conductor lengths to match well enough with a hand-executed twisted pair is fiddly and failure to do so will result in cables that work as well as many expensive "audiophile" cables*.

    When you're ready to start hating life/expanding your profanity vocabulary, do a 2.5mm TRRS connector (or a 4mm TRRRS connector) to HiFi Man MMCX connectors with large gauge wires in an 8-way (or more) sheathed braid.

    --

    *Which is to say that they often result in significantly lower-transfer speeds than $2 budget specials, which is a sure sign of bit-level data errors - ironic given that that's exactly what many of them claim to avoid!
     
  3. Melvillian

    Melvillian Friend

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  4. aufmerksam

    aufmerksam Friend

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    Does anyone have thoughts / strong feelings about using 4-pin mini-xlrs as an intermediate interconnect for multiple terminations?

    Once, in the distant past, I thought it would be brilliant to terminate all of my headphone cables into mini- 4-pins, and then just have an expanding array of adapters to allow the headphones to play from whatever source I had in front of me. The idea being I would only have to do the soldering of the various termination adapters (6.35mm TRS, 3.5mm TR, 4-pin XLR, 3.5 TRRS, 2.5 TRRS, whatever new TRRRRRRRRS piece of shit sony comes up with next...) once.

    Anyway, that was once, in the distant past. Then I got lazy, and only cared about the 4-pin XLR termination for my main headphones. Now I find I have a new stable of headphones, and plethora of pinatas device outputs that need attention. Is this a fools path?


    Oh, and, ahem,

    f**k that.
     
  5. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

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    Funny, I was actually thinking about doing that with my CA Orion. How big is 4 pin mini xlr? Same size as 3 pin mini xlr?
    If so, seems like a nice, small, balanced capable connector.
     
  6. fraggler

    fraggler A Happy & Busy Life

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    I have actually done this several times, mainly for the cables that I take to meets. I don't have golden ears so I can't tell you whether or not it affects the sound, but it definitely was convenient to be able to quick-swap to about 10 different terminations without weighing things down with big metal XLR connectors.

    Yes, @spwath, they are the same size as the 3 pin mini XLRs.

    I am a big fan of the Amphenol mini XLR's that Parts Express sells. Much more solid connection and quality than Aliexpress/ebay ones. I don't like the Rean (Neutrik) ones as much based on the strain relief.
     
  7. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    I've done it.

    It's very convenient, especially once you've got the adapters built.

    It does pose some limits in terms of practical wire-gauge/conductor count/topology that can be achieved, partly due to the smaller entry diameter of the connectors, partly due to the smaller solder cups and, of course, it's limited by the strength of the connection (inline/cable-mount female mini-XLRs are a bit scarce). But unless you're pushing limits there, it's not a bad way to go. And one way to lessen some of those limits is to use dual mini 3-pin XLRs instead of a single mini 4-pin.

    I've taken it a bit further and, specifically for dynamic headphones, using this type of setup to allow the insertion of "tuning modules" (e.g. a simple Zoebel network) inline with the cable ... which can be inserted or removed between the main cable and the adapter.

    For my super-fiddly/high-end cable builds I don't do this though ... mostly because of the mechanical limitations mentioned above.
     
  8. johnjen

    johnjen Doesn’t want to be here but keeps posting anyways

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    For a real challenge wire up those connectors that plug into the HD800's
    Talk about tiny, and fragile and small gauge wire only.

    I use a magnifying glass to be able to see well enough to verify the solder connection and make sure the wires etc. haven't shorted.
    They alone are reason enough to hardwire the 800's, once I find the 'proper' cable to use.

    JJ
     
  9. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    Is it a bad idea to use a 4 pin XLR male connection to go to a 1/4" stereo female?

    Basically, can I use a normal 1/4" headphone connection on the balanced headphone out of an amp, or am I going to run into issues?

    I have an extra Neutrik XLR connector (bought two male and two female in case I screwed up converting my HD650 cables to balanced), and I was considering lopping off the 3.5mm connection on the Sennheiser 1/8 -> 1/4" adapter and replacing it with 4 pin XLR.
     
  10. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

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    No, you cannot

    You can plug balanced headphones into SE with an adapter, but you cannot plug in SE headphones into a balanced jack, even with an adapter. On SE headphones the common is, well common to both channels. On a balanced connection the - wire is not common to both channels.

    Now if your amp is SE even out the 4pin XLR, that might be different. What amp?
     
  11. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    Thanks. It won't fly because I'm talking about the Jotunheim, which is actually balanced. No big deal! They 6.3mm output sounds nearly as good so I can just use that for unbalanced headphones.
     
  12. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    Any recommendations for high quality solder type RCA connectors that come in at less than $20 a pair?
     
  13. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

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  14. ohhgourami

    ohhgourami Friend

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    http://www.soniccraft.com/product_info.php/kle-innovations-copper-harmony-p-4319

    Maybe these? It's a set of 4. Maybe you can find them sold in pairs. I'm trying to step away from connectors using brass conductors and going to pure copper or tellurium copper. It's the only time I've heard a difference for interconnects.
     
  15. Daveheart

    Daveheart Friend

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    I was getting ready to post those same connectors. My two most recent builds have used those. The Neutriks posted do maintain a connection more reliably than some of the cheapos out there, but if I'm not getting a copper connector (or at least the TelCu), I'd probably just go with Switchcraft.
     
  16. ohhgourami

    ohhgourami Friend

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    From my knowledge, only Vampire/Xhadow make the connectors with copper. There's a few companies like Eidolic, Klei, and Abbatron which use TelCu. Everything else seems to be brass or bronze including Furutech. I'm trying to completely avoid that in my speaker rig. I really think this is the weakest link to a lot of higher end rigs at this point.

    By the end, I'll end up putting more money into Xhadows (4 sets) than most rigs on this forum. :eek:
     
  17. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    The page just makes them sound like pure snake oil though.

    Uhh, silver tarnishes (oxidizes) really easy. Contradiction much?
    From the IACS website: "An interesting side note is that commercially pure copper products now often have IACS conductivity values greater than 100% IACS because processing techniques have improved since the adoption of the standard in 1913"

    That's saying a lot without telling me anything.

    Is all 'bout that PRAT, 'bout that PRAT, no treble...

    I'm sure it's a fine connector, but I don't think it is something I'd buy due to that stuff alone. Especially at $88 USD for a 4 pack, or $22 per rca connector if you rather.
     
  18. winders

    winders boomer

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    If I recall correctly, pure silver is actually fairly resistant to oxidation. Also, silver oxide is quite conductive.
     
  19. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    A quick Google search didn't show any factual sources which said one way or another, so I'll take your word for it.
     
  20. ohhgourami

    ohhgourami Friend

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    Yeah, it's a lot of snake oily sounding stuff on the page but material looks good.

    BTW, it's $40 for a pack of 4. You did your math wrong there.
     

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